Spectrometer

This instrument splits visible and near-infrared light in its images into hundreds of "colors" that identify minerals, especially those likely formed in the presence of water, in surface areas on Mars not much bigger than a football field.Read more ›

Engineering Instruments

Electra allows the spacecraft to act as a communications relay between the Earth and landed crafts on Mars that may not have sufficient radio power to communicate directly with Earth by themselves.Read more ›

This camera was tested for improved navigation capability for future missions. Similar cameras on orbiters of the future will serve as high-precision interplanetary "eyes" to guide incoming spacecraft as they near Mars.Read more ›

Science Facility Experiments

By tracking the orbiter during the primary science phase, team members have been mapping the gravity field of Mars to understand the geology of the surface and near-surface and the geophysical processes that produced these land features. For example, analysis may reveal how the planet's mass is redistributed as the Martian polar caps form and dissipate seasonally.Read more ›